SAN FRANCISCO—Tim Lincecum reached a new low this season and so did the San Francisco Giants’ offense.Lincecum gave up three home runs and allowed five runs in a 7-0 loss to the Cubs on Monday night.The loss dropped the Giants five games behind first-place Arizona in the NL West with 27 games to play. At the same point a year ago, they were three games out of the division lead before going 18-8 in September.Manager Bruce Bochy has tried everything to shake his team out of the slump. On Friday, he held a meeting with San Francisco’s pitching staff and told them not to worry about the lack of run support.The Giants managed only two hits against Cubs starter Randy Wells.San Francisco managed only a two-out double by Andres Torres in the third and Mike Fontenot’s pinch-hit single with one out in the eighth. Beyond that, the Giants managed only a walk against Wells. Carlos Beltran went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.That continues to be a big problem for the Giants, who went into August with a two-game lead in the division. Now San Francisco needs a strong finish to avoid missing out on the postseason altogether.Lincecum, a two-time NL Cy Young Award winner, had allowed only five runs over his previous five starts. He pitched out of jams in the first and sixth but gave up solo home runs to Alfonso Soriano and Geovany Soto before Blake DeWitt’s three-run blast in the seventh. It’s the first time in his career that Lincecum (12-11) has allowed three home runs in one game.Lincecum’s 11 losses are a career-high. Wells (6-4) pitched a two-hitter for his first career complete game while the Cubs backed him with four home runs to snap a four-game losing streak.Carlos Pena accounted for the fourth homer, a solo shot off reliever Steve Edlefsen in the seventh. It was the third time this season the Cubs had four or more home runs in one game. The Cubs have 38 home runs in August, most in the National League.The way Wells has been pitching it didn’t matter what Lincecum did.Wells faced only four batters over the minimum and only allowed two runners to reach second base. He matched his season high of seven strikeouts and walked one while winning his third consecutive start on the road. The right-hander, who hasn’t lost since July 28, improved to 2-1 in four career starts against the Giants.Soriano’s home run was his 23rd of the season, one shy of tying Pena and Aramis Ramirez for the team lead. Soto’s home run, which led off the seventh, snapped an 0-for-25 streak by the Cubs’ catcher.Lincecum finished with four walks and four strikeouts. He needs seven more to reach 200 for the fourth consecutive season.

NOTES—One day after Bochy hinted LHP Jonathan Sanchez (left ankle sprain) might be done for the year, Sanchez acknowledged his recovery hasn’t gone as quickly as he hoped but said he’s hopeful of pitching again this season….LHP Barry Zito is scheduled to throw another bullpen session on Wednesday and could begin a rehab assignment soon…..Matt Garza (6-10) starts for the Cubs on Tuesday and will make his first career appearance against the Giants. Garza has only two wins and a 5.07 ERA on the road this season…..Former San Francisco mayor and current California Sen. Dianne Feinstein was among those in attendance.